'Discipleship' in Mark's Gospel.

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Stephanie Ogwuru        11A2        R.S Coursework

Explain what a study of St. Mark’s Gospel can tell Christians about the nature of discipleship?

In my essay I will be looking at the topic of ‘Discipleship’ in Mark’s Gospel, and also what Jesus expected from his disciples. I will also be discussing the call of the first five disciples, how they responded to Jesus’ call and what being a ‘disciple’ involves.

The word ‘disciple’ means one who learns, the word ‘apostle’ means one who is sent out and the word ‘discipleship’ means one that is prepared to follow Jesus.

Jesus chose twelve disciples to follow him; some say that this was deliberate. Others say that he did this to symbolise the twelve tribes of Israel. Also, that he called the twelve disciples to call the twelve tribes of Israel.

        I will now go on to talk about the call of the first five disciples and their responses towards Jesus. In the first chapter of Mark’s Gospel (16-20) Jesus called four fishermen, firstly he called Simon and Andrew who were brothers; and then it was James and John who were also brothers. He said to them, “Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men”. The four fishermen who Jesus called to follow him were very ordinary people who led ordinary lives, who may have also probably been illiterate. Even though this may have been the case they were still men who made a fairly good living. When Jesus said, “I will make you fishers of men”, he meant that if they were to follow him, instead of catching fish, they would go out and preach the good news to both men and women, and tell them to spread the good news also.

 In the Old Testament, prophet of Jeremiah also talked about fishers of men and drawing people into God. These four fishermen responded immediately to Jesus’ call which suggests they may have been prepared to follow Jesus if he called them. Although, this may not even be the case, because it may have been possible that the fishermen were afraid of what could happen to them if they didn’t follow Jesus. Alternatively they might of heard who Jesus who and what he could do, which is why they may have prepared or even half prepared themselves for Jesus’ call.

In the second chapter of Mark’s Gospel he calls Levi (13-14) and says to him, “Follow me”, and immediately Levi follows him. Levi was a Jewish tax collector who collected for the Romans. The Jews didn’t make any contact or communicate with any Non-Jews and if you did you were known as a ‘sinner’. So because Levi was a Jews with the Gentiles (Non-Jews), being a tax collector, he was known for being a bit dodgy because they would collect taxes, pocket some for themselves and give the rest to the Romans. In Levi’s case it was part of why he was an ‘outcast’.

In Mark 2:15-17 Jesus was eating at Levi’s house with many other tax collectors and when the Pharisees (the teachers of law) saw this they said, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” Jesus heard this and said to them, “it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous but 'sinners'. By this we can say that Jesus meant that it is not the people who don’t need help, but the people who do need help that Jesus was calling. By saying this I can say that Jesus didn’t discriminate, he included people, but he didn’t exclude anybody either. He was inclusive not exclusive.

Having said that, not everybody responded to Jesus’ call. In Chapter ten of Mark’s Gospel, Jesus called the rich young man, his reaction was very hesitant. The rich young man asked Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life”. Jesus replied, “One thing you lack go and sell everything you have and give it to the poor, and you will treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me”. But the man's face fell, he was sad ad went away, because he was wealthy. This rich young man followed the ten commandments since he was a young boy, but the one thing he was not able to do was give up his wealthy ways because it meant such a lot to him. Jesus now said, “How hard it will be for the wealthy to enter the Kingdom of God" (10:23) it will be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the e Kingdom of God" (10:25) When Jesus said this I think it indicated that every rich man’s riches mean more to them than anything else, then it would be difficult for them t enter the Kingdom of God. I think that it meant it would be nearly impossible for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God because of their love for riches instead of for God. Therefore, their love of riches isn’t equal to their love for God. Although, another explanation for this might have been because he was afraid that if he lost, his riches, it would make him seem like he was nothing without his riches or maybe even worthless, which is why the rich young man was unable to follow Jesus.

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When Jesus had called his twelve disciples to follow him, he gave them strict instructions of great importance, these included:

  • To take nothing with them except for a stick
  • Not to take food with them
  • Not to take a pack or bag
  • Not allowed to take any money with them
  • Allowed to wear sandals, but not a second coat
  • If made welcome by any family, they had to stay they until they left the district
  • If any place didn’t welcome or listen to them, shake the dust off their feet when they left, as a testimony against them (Mk ...

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